Sliding swing door



Sept. 4, 1928.

J. CAHILL SLIDING SWING DOOR Filed July 17, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 4, 1928. 1,682,772

J. CAHILL SLIDING SWING DOOR Filed July 17, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l I l l I v 3 z/ml l I I' I I l I I l e s j? attorney, A

bil

, 1,682,772 natuur orrica.

'JOHN CAHILL, 0F NCDRFOLK, VIRGINIA.

sminuire swine noon.

Appiicauon inea July iv, 1921i. sensi no. 720,495.

My invention relates vto doors mainly intended for factories, warehouses, pier sheds,

and the like with largedoor openings and' 2,'.and 3. Obviously, the number of sections will vary according to circumstances. The upper section .3 is pivotally supported as at little available head room, and particularly \l, through the agency'of hinges connected to to doors of the multi-section type and whereof the sections are capable of vertlcal sliding and radial movement. v

sections; to provide door operating mechanisni such that when the sections are in coincidence a lifting moment will be established to cause them to swing radially to horizontal or other position; to provide for edectively balancing vthe forcesl to accomplish the ends stated; to provide a shaft suspension to accommodate the lifting elements and carrying diderential supports for the counterbalance elements; to provide means operating automatically to revent the sliding sections from moving re atively to the upper section after said sections have been swung radially; to provide for eliminating nre hazards; to provide lifting elements which function to raise the sliding sections, swing the sections as a unit radially, and to support them at will in any position; andI to provide for supporting the door sections in such wise as to prevent individual or collective sagging thereof. l

Other objects, as well/ as the nature, characteristic features, and scope of the invention will more readily be understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forining a part hereof, and wherein,

Figure 1 is a viewin elevation of the improved door, the sections' being shown in door-closing relation,

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same,

Figure 3 isa view similar to Figure 2, the

sections being shown in fully opened position, and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View, illustrating particularly the operation of the latch in the movement of the sections toward door-closing position.

In the embodiment chosen for purposes of i illustration, there are three door sections, 1,

a suitable fixture immediately above the door opening. Secured to and overlying the side edges of section 3 are channel-like guides 5, whose office is to slidably receive the intermediate and lower door sections, 2 and 1. Fixed guides 7 are secured to the sides ofthe door opening. They terminate at the upper end slightly below the lower edge of the upper door section when in closed position, and are of a width for an appropriate distance' from their upper ends to slidably receive both the intermediate and lower sections, as at 8; the remainin lower length of the guides slidably vreceiving the lower section only, as at 9.

rll`he door sections, when in lowered or door-closing position slightly overhang or lap the next upper section, as at 10, Figure 2 thus insuring a' proper initial movement of the sections in their opening movement; and the lower edge of the bottom section is provided with a lip or projection 11, to engage the other sliding section and lift the samein response to a raising movement.

An operating shaft 12 is mounted in brackets 13, secured above the door opening, and on this shaft, at appropriate intervals and in sufficient number, according tothe size and weight of the door, are secured lifting drums 14, to each of which is attached a lifting element 15. The lower ends of the elements 15, which may be cables, chains or the like, are secured to pivotal elements or c levises 16, carried by Athe bottom door section, at or near its base and which ma in fact be integrally or otherwise secure to the'lip 11. The lifting drums are formed with spiral channels 17` toguide the cables in winding and unwinding, and such cables, as tlie shaft is turned, exert a direct lifting eort. Each cable or lifting element performs identical functions, namely to lift the lower sections into the guides on the sides of the upper section, to swing the sections as a unit radially of the pivotal support of the upper section, and to support the door in the open position.

To insure the results stated it is necessary to balance the forces established in the operation of the door, and the invention provides novel means for counterbalancing the door through drums fastened to the shaft 12,

whose axis it `will beV understood horizontal and parallel to the top of the door. Y The weights 21. Thev counterweight cable is' wound on its drum reversely to the lifting cables in 'order to permit the 'ull of the counterwei ht to assist in win ing up the lifting cab es. The counterweight drum is here shown as designed for maintaining a substantially constant counterbalance, as it will be apparent that the increasing Weight to be lifted as the sections are elevated, combined with the increased weight-leverage as the door sections are swung to a horizontal plane, must be compensated for 1f the action of the door sections is to be smooth and easy, This constant counterbalance effect is provided for by forming the counterweight drum of .variable diameter, thus that portion with which the counterweight cable co-op'erates during the lifting of the lower section will be 'of a consta-nt predetermined diameter, as at 22,- that portion co-operating with the counterweight cable during the lifting of the lower and intermediate sections of the door, will have an increased predetermined diameter, as at 23, while that portion with which the counterweight cable 'co-operates in swinging the door sections into a orizontal plane is of maximum diameter, as at Thus the counterweight proportionately increases the lifting force by winding from the increasing diameters of the .counterweight drum, as such increased lifting force is required in the relative movements of the door sections.

It will of course be apparent that the invention contemplates varying the number and arrangement of the counterweight `mechanisms as may. be ex edient or desirable-;a1so that the constant ect of the counterweight may be gained wiiih equal eiiiciency by varying the diameter of the lifting drums, conversely to that described for the counterweight drum, or by varying the diameters of both the counterweight and lifting drums, all such arangements being contemplated as within permissible variations of the present i invention.

.NJA

An im 'ortant feature of the invention is the provision of means to automatically prevent the sliding sections from-escaping from the guides of the upper sectidn after it has swung away from the stationary guides. As previously indicated, the sliding sections are raised into the guides on the upper section until they have passed above the stationary guides. At this position` the downward moment around the hinge is less than the moment caused by the force required on the lifting cables to hold the sliding sections at their uppermost position. This lifting moment prevents the top section from swingl i ing back td its closed counterweights were lifte that is to say, if a closing force was exerted on the operating chains, the lower sections would move out of the guides of the upper section and would be out of position to properly engage their stationary guides. I, therefore, provide the u per section with dogs or latches 25..

The atches 25 are pivotally supported in brackets 26, and have hook-like terminals 27, which operate by gravity to engage the bottom of the lowermost section l. The latches are provided with stops or lateral pins 28, which in the normal closing movement ofthe door are adapted to ride into contact with lugs 29, on the upper ends of the fixed uides 7 and thus displace the hook ends of t e latches from beneath the lower edges of the lower door section 1. Thus the latches operate automatically, both in moving to perfect -a holding of the door sections against downward movement, and in releasing such sections for downward movement, the latter operation taking place, however, only when the lower sections are accurately in position to enter the fixed guides 7,for proper closing movement. l

The shaft 12 may be provided with any usual operating means, here shown as a chain 30, passing endlessly over a sprocket 3l arranged at one side of the door, and operating'through appropriate gearing 32 to turn the shaft l2 in the desired direction. The lower edge of the lower section l may be provided with rollers 33, to relieve friction incident to the outward pull of the lifting'cabies in the upward and downward movement of this door section. Angle strips 34 are preferably secured to the side marginsy of the door opening, to serve as weather strips, and as a guide to receive the upper door section when in closed position.

Another important feature of the invention is the provision of means to prevent rattling of the door sections, andr particularly of the intermediate sliding section, and to keep the sections in relatively close overlapping relation in order to eliminate fire hazards. Such means is here shown by way of example, as marginal lugs or overhangs secured near the top edge of the intermediate door section, and operating by contact with the guides to hold the adjoining door sections in proper overlapping relation. In order to minimize the frictionof the parts, the bearing portion of the lug 35 is formed as a nose 86.

In operation, assuming the door closed, force is exerted on the cha-in 30 to move the shaft 12 in a direction to cause the counterweight drum to unwind its cable, and the lifting drums to wind up the lifting cables.

(position. If the The upward movement continues until the lower section overlies the intermediate section, and both overlie the upper section. At

bil

till

this point the lifting power of the cables cause a pivot movement on the hinges 4, and this lifting moment is equal to the product of the force on the lifting cables and the distance between 4the center of the hinge bea-rings and the center of the rope at that oint on the lifting drums which is farthest rom the wail. (lbviously, this lifting moment may be increased or decreased by varying the distance of the shaft l2 from the wall. As the. lower and intermediate sections are no longer held by the guides 7, all sections swing outwardly into substantially a horizontal plane. The latches 25 have meanwhile automatically operated to hold the lower and intern'iediate door sections in pro-per relation to the upper section. During the swinging movement of the door sections, the downward mo1nent varies in magnitude throughout such travel, and this variation is compensated for in the constantly-increasing counterbalance force provided 1n the variable diameter counterweight or lifting drums, either ,or both, the maximum counterbalance force being of course provided for as the door reaches its extreme open position. n

ln the closing door movement, the sections maintainV their relative positions, through operation of the latches 25, until the lower door section l is in position to enter the upper ends of the fixed guides, which guides may, if desired be slightly ared at their upper ends. At this point the latches are automaticallymoved to release positions, and the door sections return to closed positions in a smooth and even operation.

'l`he advantages of this type of door are that its design will permit of safely supporting and operating closures of great size and weight.

A further important feature of the invention is the elimination of conditions tending to sagging of the door sections. This is accomplished through the medium of the hinge supports for the upper section, and through the medium of the cables acting in conjunction with the rigidheel or lip 1l..

Manifestly, the door sections may be of any usual or preferred type. That is to say they may be solid metal constructions or of sectional or slat type, with glass or other transparent sections; or they may be constru'cted of wood; or they ma embody a composite structure of wood an metal.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. A door having an upper section mounted for swinging movement, a lower section mounted for relative sliding movement, guides for compelling a sliding movement of the lower section into coincidence with the upper section before permitting swinging movement of such upper section, and lifting cables connected to the lower section and acting directly through such connection alone to rst slide the lower section and then swing both sections. 2. A door having an upper swinging section, a lower sliding section, fixed guides tov receive the lower section, guides carried by acting through such connection alone to first slide the lower section and then swing both sections about a common center, and means for counterweighting the movements ofthe sections. a f

4. A door having a hinged up er section, a relatively slidable lower section, lifting cables connected to the lower section and acting through such connection alone to `first slide the lower section and then swing I both-sections, and guides tc prevent swing` ing of the sections until the lower section has' been moved into coincidence with the upper section.

5. A door having a hinged upper section, a relatively slidable lower section, lifting cables connected to the lower. section and acting through such connection alone to first slide the lower section and then swing both sectlonsabout a common center, and means for counterweighting the movements of thev sections, said means being arranged to accurately compensate for the increasing force,

required in the movements of the sections and for sustaining them in operative position.

` 6. I n a door of the sliding and radially swinging type, the combination with a pivoted door section and sliding door-sections, of fixed guides for the sliding door'sections, guides carried by the pivoted'door section to receive the sliding sections,` and clogging mechanism to hold the sliding sections in the last named guides when the door sections are swung radially.

7. Ina door of the sliding and radially swinging type, the combination with a pivoted door section and sliding door sections, of fixed guides for the sliding door sections, guides carried by the pivoted door section to receive the sliding sections, dogging mechanism to hold the sliding sections in coincidence with the pivoted section, and means inthe path of the clogging mechanism to trip the same and permit the sliding sections to enter the stationary guides in a normal closing movement of the door.

8. In a door of the multi-section sliding and swinging type, the combination with sliding door sections, and their guides, of

i l ,I h t,

means forfeliininating flame passage, in-

' cludinfr a distance element mounted relatively to the sections and guides and operating f forholding the top section against 'other than a swing movement, a rigid heel to reinforce the bottom section and adapted to engage the other sections, and means vfor supporting and lifting the sections and se' cured to the bottom section in the region of\ the heel.

10. In a door of the multi-section sliding hinge support, an

and swinving type, the combination of overlapping door sections and means to prevent sagging thereof comprising hinge mountings for the upper edge of the to section, a rigld heel extending alon the ottom edge of the lower section an having an element engageable with the other sections, whereby the sections individually and collectivel are maintained in strai ht line relation wit the means for sup orting and lifting the sections and arranged) to exert a direct pullon the heel portion of the lower section.,

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

J OHN CAHILL. 

